Mephistos

Ulrich von Liechtenstein has been a hero of mine for some time, ever since I first of heard of him and what he had done in his life.  I know some of you are thinking of the movie from a few years back by the the name of A Knight’s Tale, which starred the late Heath Ledger and somewhere in  the back of your mind you recall that was the assumed name the peasant turned jousting knight used.  Someone associated with the movie must have actually had a bit of medieval history in their background, for there was indeed a true knight from the 13th century by the name Ulrich von Liechtenstein.

The real Ulrich had a life that was probably just interesting, perhaps more so, and certainly as ruled by the notions of courtly love and how to win the favor of his this lady that inspired in him all things.  Further, the true Ulrich was not only a knight and jouster of some reknown during his lifetime, but he was further was educated and used his talents to write poetry describing his exploits pursuing the love that spurned him.  The title of the work the famed poet-jouster, as he is often called, wrote in the original Middle High German was Frauendienst. Translated to modern English, it reads as Read more…

It is now late on Monday afternoon and I have not posted since sometime late Friday night.  My apologies for being such a slacker.  Sometimes being a slacker is the one thing I can be good enough to succeed at the task.  Anyway, I really meant to get a lot more work done on the projects I have at hand and to accomplish at least three or four more posts in the process.  Instead, I ended up just chilling.  Do not get me wrong, I did get some writing work and now I have so many blog idea notes here and there that I find myself having the complete opposite of a writers block.

What exactly do I mean by that.  Well, I have so many good ideas of what I think would make a interesting a blog posting that I tend to get caught up in the moment of reviewing them and coming up with the most Read more…

A recent article on a blog by the name of Muhlberger’s Early History has me really taking a bit of an issue with it.  The blog can found at http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/history/MUHLBERGER/2008/07/re-enacting-medieval-cavalry-henrik.htm.  In the article, one of the founding members of the SCA, who has participated in the re-enactment of Hastings starts to claim that perhaps horses in medieval warfare were perhaps not as much a factor as we would like to believe.

Interestingly enough this goes against most of what we have in both the record and what is put forth by most noted historians.  In fact, most of the historians, and indeed most of the record seems to support, that the medieval era from horses standpoint in warfare actually sees its rise to the pinnacle of the ultimate shock troop and it fall from that position to the little more then a quick moving “infantry” or scouting role by the close of the period.

What I find most suprising, is that Steve Muhlberger, who owns the blog and is a professor of history takes the few written words by Henrik Olsgaard (I am sure that is his SCA name only) and without other supporting evidence presents it on his blog.  That in itself is not so bad, but his blogs stated purpose is for the use of his students as a bulletin board and interesting historicy related information.  I suppose that this is all well and fine, however, I take issue with there is very little counter balancing of information on this paticular piece - not in fact any real mention that this would be the opposite to the general view.

I will give both Muhlberger and Olsgaard the point that fail to make in the blog, that being that the Hastings has been played up as the place where the heavy mounted lance/spear wielding knight, especially when couched came to its own and turned the tide of the battle.  In reality it was probably turned more by someone being shot in the eye, the horses sparing the stamina of those charging uphill repeatedly throughout the day, shear willpower and grit on Williams part, and lastly the ability of the mounted troups to mop up easily once the formation started to break open.

Olsgaard keeps most of focus on the fact that horses are herd animals and are prone to follow the leader or run from anything frightens them.  Further, he indicates that the horses they were using were very hard pressed, if at all, to charge right into a sheild wall.  All of this is really a no brainer in most of the ways of looking at it.  Having trained horses for over eight years to do some of this, what to the horse, has to be stupid medieval stuff, it takes time.  Some of these horses had never even been mounted in amour until the day before, for a few hours at best of riding and practicing.  It typically takes a good three or four months to get most horses ready for even the more simple things in relation to this kind of participation.

I am going to give you a basics for what can happen.  My first horse that I ever did this kind of thing with, a gelding, been there and done that kind of horse when I got him.  First Gulf Wars we went to, when I was still a bit of a green rider, he was an a pain in the behind.  He was nervous and wanted to kick at other horses when we were idling.  We rode down a trail over behind the field battles and when the crash of sheild and sword took place he got wide eyed and backed away.  I then spent the next several months getting up and riding him in such kinds things as we were doing almost daily - and as my fiefdom was small and lacking in numbers, we played battle scenes through a loud speakers around where we riding, and we we would hit posts with swords, break lances on posts, etc.  When the horse was retired a few years ago due to loosing his site, he would approach anything and even take a light blow with out a flinch and thought of fear so long as the rider on him maintained their confidence.  This kind of training (with the sound actually included for real) was available to a knight and his horses readily - and is a large part of why we had the tournaments that eventually lead to the joust of one on one facing each down the lane (the first mounted tourneys were big melees, that often turned into bloody affairs, despite crests being the target sometimes).

Olsgaard makes another point about the severe spurs and bits that we sometimes see in the historical record as prove to just how frightened and hence how much effort was required to control the animals.  I say bah to that as well.  The twelve inch shanks on bits can be found in many horse dispilines to this day where the horse is certainly not be exposed to the kinds of terrors that you would find on the battlefield, though some would think the show ring is just as rough.  As for the both of these devices, just because there were there does not mean that they were used to that extreme.  I know one person that I took lessons from said you should put spurs on unless you need them for the horse - I am of the opinion that you should have them in case you need them - cause it is a bear to go get them the moment you need them.  Even then though, just because the spur was so severe doesn’t mean it was required and used in such severity.  By todays Enlgish standards, most big rowel star spurs of Western design are considered harsh - but watch just how often those are used to apply as much pressure as could be used with them.

In short summation, I find the article that focuses one aspect with out given any creditials other then he has been in the SCA since its founding and road a few times on untrained horses at the re-enactment of Hastings a far cry from an authority on the subject.  Even in his own article he notes of horses with training that will charge through a shield wall and there, even in play with out intent to harm when it was maybe expected to give way, people were blooded.  Imagine 30 or 40 horses impacting a shield wall at nearly the same time, as the ground shakes as they approach at a gallop, with horses all trained to make that charge and as they approach all the horses are going that way so herd insticnt drives it on.  And just imagine then, if just two or three gaps open in the wall where someone and his buddy next to him get a little scared.

I am sure that everyone who was almost anywhere back on that first Saturday in May of the Kentucky Derby (or indeed, anywhere near a news cast on television for the week or two that followed) at least has an inkling of what happened to Eight Belles immediately following the conclusion of the race.  For those that don’t know, a little bit of quick background.  She was a filly running against the boys in a race that in 138 attempts only three other fillies have bested the boys.  She ran a tough race and come in second, besting 18 boys and losing only the winner, Big Brown.  Shortly after the race she faltered, breaking both front legs and was immediately and humanely put down.  The two leg breaks, a bit rare, but having to put down a horse occurs probably to often.  The scene of these one on national television brought out everyone.

There are more then enough of the fair share of folks out there who want to ban horse racing all together, elminate the use of whips completely, probably even a few that want to eliminate the jockeys.   Anyway, in a quick move of self regulation, actually started almost immediately and had proposals made prior to several testify before congress, The Jockey Club set up a Thoroughbred Safety Committee.  The committee made public three major recommendations/proposed rule changes on June 17th.

In summary the proposal focuses on elmination of the use of all but a couple of steriods in the usage of horses in the United States.  This makes sense, brings us in line with most of Europe, and given the outrage of their usage in baseball and other sports, it falls in line to ban them in horse racing as well.  It would seem to indicate that perhaps Big Brown may have been in trouble in the Derby as well if this rule had been in force, given his performance at the Belmont after having been off steriods for approximately five weeks.  It is important to note that just as humans have sought every edge in the past, so to have horse trainers/owners.  For instance, in the early 1900’s horses were regular and legally ran “juiced” - which was high on cocaine.  They were also ran on mixtures of coffee and whiskey.  I know the first was made illegal but was at least hinted at having occured as late as the 1940’s or possibly early 1950’s.  Regardless, this indicates a change toward the betterment of the equality of the racing horses and a purity in the natural atheletic ability of the horses.

The second recommendation is the limited use and out right banning of certain kinds of horse shoes, especially in regards to the front feet.  The shoes in question are those that have toe grabs or caulks at the heels along with a few variations thereof.  The basic idea of said shoes are extra traction and hence in theory better tranfer of the horses effort into forward motion.  However, the suggestion is at least that such shoes on the front feet likely interfers with the natural motion of the thoroughbred horse and especially at high speeds may have to much grab on a perfectly set fast (dry) track.  It is also likely that such extra grab and interference could contribute to such injuries as was suffered by Eight Belles, though not conclusive by any means.

The last one is a bit more vague and is applies to usage of the whip by the jockey on the horse.  There are certain kinds of strikes that will be legal and certains kinds that will not.  I do not think the light use of the whip is a bad thing but I do think the limits of the motion of the arc of the whip are not necessarily a bad thing either.  Further, as a horse rider, I can tell you (and as jockeys are professionals) they know, when a tap or two of the whip gives them something or not.  One last thing on this - a lot of the truly great horses rarely had a race where the whip was required and when it was it was usually only a tap or two - sometimes just seeing it was enough.  A bit more probablematic and a certain amount of judgement to decide when this rule applies and not - but I am sure it come about - just as jockeys stopped trying to knock one another off and play rough and dirty when the camera in the late 1940’s started capturing the action for review.

A couple of things I am glad The Jockey Club did not consider.  Obviously they did not consider seriously the demise and death of all thoroughbred racing in the United States - to think they (or anyone else would pursue such a thing) is inane.  A big emphasis was put on the Triple Crown races being so close together - however I would argue that the distances involved and closeness of the races is part of the true measure of being a champion.  Also keep in mind, that horses were historically raced much more often then they are today, sometimes champions like Man-O-War raced upwards of three times inside of well less then four weeks if memory serves me.  The Triple Crown itself, prior to really having achieved that title and even in the early years as it did garner that, was often held on floating days - where if I recall correctly again, the Preakness actually fell the week prior to the Kentucky Derby.  Where upon completion of th Derby, horses were loaded on a train to ship from Maryland to Kentucky - often paraded in route to and from the train in front of adoring fans.

A couple of things that The Jockey Club still needs to push forward with are the young age that horses are typically started at and breeding practices in general.  Both of the above I think contribute to possible break downs of the horses like what happened to Eight Belles.  The horsemen have over the years put a LOT of emphasis on the three year old year of the racing horse.  I don’t have so much a problem with that as with the training and hard campiagn that a lot two year olds are pushed toward.  I would prefer to see much less stake racing (if any at all) for two year olds - and a push toward bigger stakes at four year olds to encourage more development there.  The same is true of the breeding - as we have long legged spindly frail horses that are built for sprinting more then the the true classic distances of a mile and more that we so associate with the thoroughbred racing horse.  This obviously goes back a number of years, but a little selective breeding (especially horses aimed more at four year olds and still being fit to race there) it would slowly begin to take hold and eventually become the norm.

So I am still drinking stiff bourbon and cokes (recall the last post - just enough to color them) and I am thinking of some good old memories. One that comes to mind is of me, my brother, bikes, and a couple of tobacco sticks.

No, for those not aware, a tobacco stick is what burley tobacco here in Kentucky is speared onto (the stalk and leaves) and hung in the barn for curing. The sticks are made of oak most typically, more modern ones being sawed and old ones were split (like a rail for a fence). They are usually getting close to one inch, roughly square, though the split ones were often a little thicker in one direction. Oh, and between three and four foot long.

Another thing for those not aware, I do jousting and sword fighting on horses today, waxing nostalgic for time period well over 600 years ago. It is no wonder considering the how often me and my younger brother did sword fighting. Often with a tobacco stalk, which is not so bad, as they give. However, often time with a tobacco stick. In case you are wondering that is one heck of a smarting blow on the fingers.

When doing this kind of thing as a eight to ten year old, there were a few rules. Don’t hit the hands, as that hurts like heck.

Take this one step forward. We didn’t have horses at the time, but we did have bikes and a long down hill slope so you didn’t have to work to hard. We were knights on a iron steads sword fighting over our heads over and over again. Imagine a fall day, with the smell of wood smoke in the eye, damp ground, leaves already on the ground, you can also smell the horses and hear the ping of metal on metal.

What ends up happening is at some point my brother hit my fingers, hard. In anger I retaliated, by yelling, “I will get you - I will slay your horse.” And with that I stabbed the front, em, er, legs(?) of his mount.

Immediately I learned a lot of physics regarding what happens when you stop a wheel in motion by jabbing something into and how a bicycle seat suddenly resembles a catapult as my brother flew through the air like a boulder to land with a horrible sounding thud flat on his back a number of feet in front of the mount I had caught up on the end of my sword.

Thankfully my brother was only winded. The funny thing was my freaking immediately after him landing. I was at his side saying, “You gotta get up and be okay - Mom will kill us both if you are hurt - come on, get up.”

So, here it is January 23 and I have not as of yet decided if I am going to make it to Gulf Wars this year. For those not in the know, Gulf Wars is one of the major wars that is put on by the SCA. Oh, and for those that may not know the SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism- or in simple lay terms the group of crazy people who creatively like to play like they are in a different time period. Now, back to Gulf Wars - our regularly scheduled blog event.

Gulf Wars is one of the major wars where we do medieval things for entire week with a minimum (in theory) modern mundane things to bring is back. Things include the all important heavy fighting, lots of arts and crafts, drinking and hanging out, telling stories, more drinking, archery, lighter fighting (rapier style), yet more drinking, and of course my favorite equestrian activities. That alone is worth the trip, given that I have done that four times out the last eight years, with horses in tow to boot. It is the largest known world event as far as equestrian and the SCA is concerned, having upwards of 45 horses in attendance the last few years, less the year after Lady Katrina blew in. Oh yeah, you were thinking the other Gulf Wars - this one is in Mississippi, a little town about an hour from the cost.

So, anyway, I am sitting here contemplating my lack of jousting and in general equine activities of late today at the office. (For those counting, it is nearing 9:00 and I am still at the office, but obviously taking a break). Anyway, I starting thinking about seriously if I was going to be able to attend this year or not. Money is being a bit tight, especially with hay prices and a few other things I have going. Beyond that, is the issue of selling the truck that was not working and not having one right now. Heck, technically I don’t even have a trailer at the moment. And of course there is the getting the horses practiced and ready too, especially given the likely weather between now and then.

There are a few other SCA events I could attend, but not any that are equine until the 1st of March and it is more the seven hours away in a different kingdom. Maybe I should just content myself to sitting this one out and doing some heavy fighting early this spring instead. After all, it is the odd year and I have never made it to an odd year GW yet. Still, I would really like to attend and catch up with some old friends that I have not seen in a while - well to be exact since last year at GW. Maybe I will take off for the last couple of days, drive down in the car with the saddle, get a rental horse, and play a bit that way? Or could maybe borrow truck and trailer from Clay/John and let them use my car? What about Bitzer? What about tentage given the one has gone to other hands? What a bunch of questions.

Keep posted for updates and if any of my SCA or especially friends from GW see this, let me know - as I would love to drop a hello your direction.

The following is from my blog over on MySpace (Medieval Jouster), I thought it would be good to include it over here as well, as this is the main place I intend to blog from this point forward. It is a few days old, mostly detailing things from weekend just past (11th-12th of January).

For those that may be wondering why there is NOT much going on this blog - it is the off season for the Northern Hemisphere as far as jousting is concerned. Especially for those of us that live more then an hour or two from the Gulf Coast in North America. Even more limiting is that in 2007 I did most of my jousting in the Northern reaches of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan and it looks as if that is where a good deal of it will be again this coming year (though I am also looking at trying to do some in the Carolina’s as well).

Anyway, the point is that jousting and preparation for jousting this time of year is about as boring and uninspiring as it gets. I spent the biggest part of my weekend tracking down and procuring hay for Jack, Angel, and the rest of the horse gang. This was no small feat given the draught we had from early summer forward this past year. Of course, once hay was found, you sure couldn’t tell anything of the draught. Since back in December, we have now been very wet and are probably catching up with some of the amount we are behind on - to the point of trying to flood some over the last week or so. Anyway, back to the hay, went to get it and nearly hung up the truck getting to where the hay was. Then of course it was spitting rain, thankful of that, as it had been raining a bit harder up until that point. And get this, starting the day the temperature had been in the upper 40’s. By the time we got out to load the hay it 40. During the 30 minutes we loaded the hay it dropped to 36 degrees.

Then came the fun of unloading it when I got it back to the barn where the horses are stabled currently. This was of course followed by then trudging the 1/4 mile with feed while hay went back on a psuedo carry-all on the tractor. But Jack and Angel were excited and glad to see me with the feed. They must have been watching - as they started getting frisky when I walked behind the barn, still a good bit to the pasture. That is what makes the winter time barely bearable with the horses.

Anyway, the point of all this is the ground is wet, muddy, and churns up way to easy. It is mostly rainy, or as it tried a bit yesterday, snowy, and if conditions are right, in this area, some kind of slushy icy mix. And the forecast for this week, may have solid ground, but that is only because it is going to be frozen with highs of around 20 degrees in the forecast I looked at last week (ice in the water troughs to be broken and removed - what fun). So, for at least another month or two not much in the way of riding or practicing - but a LOT of effort required during the short term to keep everything ready.

Right now I am sitting here being bummed just thinking about how long it has even been since I have ridden. I knew I should have taken advantage of those last opportunities when I thought it was too cold or was just too busy as the last days of fall slipped away. I will be looking forward to early/mid March when Jack and I can hopefully slip off toward the Gulf Coast and participate in Gulf Wars - one of our favorites.